Truck Accident Law by Michael Leizerman » Vermont truck accidents

Congress Considers Raising Highway Weight Limit on Trucks

Michael Leizerman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:55:38 +0000

Weighing the benefits of larger-load efficiencies against concerns about increased damage to highways, Congress is considering increasing the weight limit of highway-safe trucks by some 17,000 pounds. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act would increase the maximum weight for commercial trucks from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds, a move that has drawn both praise and scorn. Supporters say the change would reduce traffic, lower fuel use, and in the end pass along lower costs to consumers. Opponents worry that heavier trucks would severely damage roads and lead to an increase in truck-related highway accidents. The bill would allow states to set their own weight-limit standards; pilot programs are already underway in Maine and Vermont, where logging operations are benefiting from the freedom to load trucks with up to 100,000 pounds of freight.

TRUCK ACCIDENT FAST FACT: According to TruckInfo.net, 68% of truck accidents occur in rural areas.

Bridge over Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York is Open

Michael Leizerman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:11:00 +0000

The Lake Champlain bridge from New York to Vermont is running over budget, as reported by the Burlington Free Press. The bridge is nearly 10% over budget. It was originally bid as a $69.6 million project, but not will likely run as high as $76 million. The new bridge replaces a structurally-unsound 82 year old bridge that was closed in 2009. The new bridge opened in November of 2011. Around 3,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.

Michael Leizerman is a truck accident attorney who blogs about events relevant to highway safety.

Truck Accident Weekly Roundup: January 26 – February 1

Michael Leizerman — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:23:52 +0000

State trucking laws vary, and the need for qualified truck accident attorneys to understand all facets of a particular litigation is imperative. I have handled numerous truck accidents throughout the United States, many of them similar to those noted below. Please feel free to contact me michael@leizerman.com or call me at 1-800-628-4500.

Mlive.com reports that the driver of a tractor-semitrailer lost control of his vehicle while traveling on U.S. 131 near Zerbe Road in Constantine Township, Michigan, crossed the middle line, drove into opposing traffic and struck an oncoming pickup truck. Police reports indicate that the driver of the pickup was taken to Three Rivers Hospital where he was treated for his injuries from the truck crash.

WBIR.com reports that an 80-year-old Knoxville, Tennessee man died in an accident on Western Avenue in Knoxville when his vehicle slid under the bed of a tractor trailer carrying a full load of pipes. The jaws of life were used to extract the victim from the wreckage. The Knoxville Police Department is investigating the crash.

Highlands Today reports that a 74-year-old Avon Park, Florida man died when a semitrailer turned into his path on County Road 640, causing the man’s VW Bug to run under the truck’s trailer. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the truck crash.

OregonLive.com reports that the driver of a semi-trailer was cited for careless driving after he was traveling too fast to negotiate a turn on U.S. 101 near Gold Beach, Oregon, causing his rig to tip over and crash into a passenger car. Oregon State Police report that the driver was hauling a container full of garbage at the time of the crash. The injured motorist was treated at a local hospital for what appear to have been minor injuries.

BurlingtonFreePress.com reports that two people lost their lives in an accident on I-89 near Montpelier, Vermont when the driver of a milk tanker lost control of his vehicle, which then jackknifed and was struck by a passenger car and a second milk tanker. The victims were the driver of the second milk tanker and a passenger in the car. According to Vermont State Police, the truck driver who initiated the accident escaped with minor injuries.

Newstimes.com of Middlebury, Connecticut reports that the driver of a loaded propane tanker was cited for traveling too fast for conditions and driving with defective equipment after he crashed into a small truck on I-84 near Middlebury. Police report that the propane tanker, which was carrying 1,500 gallons of propane, had a damaged right rear wheel. One victim was treated for back injuries following the accident.

Truck Accident Weekly Roundup: January 19 – January 25

Michael Leizerman — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:33:39 +0000

Consider this: A truck accident in, for example, Ohio may be complicated if the victim is from Florida, the truck driver is from Kansas, the truck is owned by a California company, the trailer owned by a Missouri company and the driver was hauling a load from California to New York. I have handled numerous complicated truck accidents throughout the United States and I am knowledgeable in the specifics of trucking law. Please feel free to contact me at michael@leizerman.com or call me at 1-800-628-4500.

WSMV.com reports that a multi-vehicle crash has left a semi-trailer driver dead and at least two other people injured following a wreck on I-65 near Millersville, Tennessee. According to The Tennessee Highway Patrol, the crash was initiated when high winds caused the driver of the semi-tractor trailer to lose control and crash into opposing traffic. The resulting crash involved two other semis, a car and a pickup truck.

LongIslandPress.com reports that the driver of a tanker truck was killed when he attempted to pass a passenger vehicle on the Long Island Expressway and veered into the car instead, causing the tanker truck to flip and explode into flames and leaving the driver of the passenger car with non life-threatening injuries. Firefighters and emergency crews battled a raging inferno for hours after the crash.

NBCChicago.com reports that a big rig rear-ended a completely full 18-passenger van on I-65 30 miles south of Indianapolis on Sunday, killing two passengers in the van and injuring the other 16. The injured passengers in the van were taken to a local hospital with what a Sheriff’s Department spokesperson described as injuries ranging from minor to critical. The van’s passengers were members of an extended family including children, returning from a kite flying convention in Georgia.

MyPlainview.com of Plainview, Texas reports that a man was hospitalized after an accident on I-27 in Plainview when a semi truck failed to yield and struck his vehicle, causing it to flip onto its roof. Paramedics transported the victim to nearby Covenant Hospital. No details are yet available about his injuries.

DailyWorld reports that a 29-year-old Lafayette, Louisiana man was struck and killed by an 18-wheeler as he walked home on I-49 near Carencro. Louisiana State Police report that toxicology samples were taken from the driver of the 18-wheeler, but results are not yet available.

Progress-index.com reports that two people were injured, one fatally, when the Penske rental truck they were traveling in collided with a tractor-trailer on I-95 in Prince George County, Virginia. Virginia State Police were unable to provide details of the cause of the crash, but indicated that charges were pending.

KETV.com of Omaha, Nebraska reports that a man was injured when his car and a semitrailer truck collided on I-80 near Omaha, leaving his vehicle wedged under the big rig. Nebraska State Police are continuing their investigation of the crash.

Thedailyreview.com reports that a Gillett, Pennsylvania woman was hospitalized with severe head injuries after her pickup truck was struck by a tractor trailer on Mott Town Road and Route 14 in South Creek Township, Pennsylvania. Details of the cause of the crash are unavailable at this time. The victim is in critical condition at Robert Packer Hospital.

BenningtonBanner.com reports that a 36-year-old Greenwich, New York man was injured in Shaftsbury, Vermont when a Freight Line tractor-trailer lost its load, which then struck the victim’s vehicle on Vermont Route 67 near the New York border. The Shaftsbury Fire Department and Bennington Rescue assisted at the scene where the victim’s vehicle sustained heavy damage when the load, including a large tire and extra bucket for a front-end loader, slid off the big rig while it was cornering.